Veteran Nigerian rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem, has clarified that his new track “Tell Your Papa” was not a personal attack on Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds on Sunday, Abdulkareem said the song was a response to Seyi Tinubu’s public statement claiming his father is the best president Nigeria has ever had.
According to NAIJALOG, Seyi Tinubu made the remark during a visit to Yola, Adamawa State, in March 2025.
Eedris explained that his lyrics were not aimed at insulting Seyi, but rather urging him to speak to his father about the pressing economic and security issues plaguing the country.
“Nigerian youths are simply asking for essentials—steady power supply, security, job creation, and a thriving economy—not palliatives,” the rapper said.
He added, “I didn’t attack Seyi. If he hadn’t made that statement, I wouldn’t have released the song. His video inspired the track.”
Despite its message, the song was swiftly banned from broadcast by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which labeled it inappropriate.
The move has sparked widespread backlash, with notable figures like Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka criticizing the ban as a form of censorship and a violation of free speech.
Abdulkareem also reflected on the continued relevance of his 2001 protest anthem “Nigeria Jagajaga”, lamenting that the country’s situation has barely improved over the past two decades.